Lipstick, Touches, and Friendship Restorations
by Brown Eyes Parker
Summary: It went on like that for what seemed like forever. There were moments when he would let his guard down and be the sweet man she had fallen in love with. For a second, May would think that maybe (just maybe) everything was going back to normal. Philinda. AU. Spoilers. Rated, K


**Lipstick, Touches, and Friendship Restorations **

**A Coulson/May Story**

**By Brown Eyes Parker**

**Rated: K+**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**.**

Coulson sighed and studied her face in the dim lights of the hallway, her lipstick had faded considerably and she looked like she hadn't slept for days. He reached out and swiped at

the corner of her mouth with his index finger. "You've got some lipstick right there," he whispered.

She looked at him, a glimmer of hope in her dark eyes. "Thanks."

He let his hand drop and rubbed his palm over his thigh. "You should get some sleep."

"Phil. . ."

"Goodnight May," he said turning away from her.

She sighed. "Goodnight. . . Phil. I'll see you in the morning."

It went on like that for what seemed like forever. There were moments when he would let his guard down and be the sweet man she had fallen in love with. For a second, May would think that maybe (just maybe) everything was going back to normal. But then the walls would go back up and he would turn away from her, oblivious to the way her heart was breaking because of his distance.

For once, she wasn't able to wrap her heart up in steel and pretend that she didn't have emotions. She would have done anything just to be back in Coulson's good graces, to be his friend again just like in the old days. But no matter how much she wished it to be so, no matter how much she _Phil'd _him, nothing changed between them. He still pushed her away; still treated her like they hadn't even been friends in the first place and that they didn't share a long history.

**.**

"You're drunk May," Coulson said standing over her; the frown lines in his forehead were prominent.

"I am?" May asked, downing the rest of her drink.

"What's wrong with you?" Coulson demanded, pulling her out of the barstool and dragging her out of the bar.

May snatched her hand away. "Oh, don't pretend you're concerned about me. We both know that as soon as we get back to the Hub, you'll just go back to ignoring me!"

"I don't ignore you!" Coulson said.

May released a deep breath. "Fine, you don't ignore me. But you certainly act like we never shared anything. Like we were never even friends."

"Well, what do you expect May?" Coulson retorted. "You betrayed me."

"Oh for pity's sake! When are you going to get it into your head!? I did it to protect you!" May said, not caring that random pedestrians were stopping and looking at them.

"Protect me?" Coulson repeated. "I'm still having trouble believing _that_ May!"

"I'm not having this argument anymore! I'm so sick of it!" May said, turning sharply on her heel and walking away from him. She tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, falling and skinning her knees in the process.

Coulson didn't blink; he hurried over to her and helped her to her feet then guided her back to the bar. "Do you have a first aid kit I could use?" he asked the bartender.

The bartender put down the glass she was drying and grabbed a box from the top shelf. "Here," she said, dropping it on the counter.

"Thanks," Coulson said, sitting May down on the barstool. "This might hurt a little," he said as he took out some antiseptic wipes and dabbed at her bloodied knees.

"You know that I've been through worse," May answered, wincing slightly as the wipe met tender flesh. She gritted her teeth and drummed her fingers on the counter, nearly not drunk enough to be oblivious to the pain. But he was so gentle; she barely noticed that her skin was stinging.

"There," Coulson said, a few minutes later as he covered the abrasions with Band Aids. "You're as good as new. Now come on, let's get you home."

"Phil. . ." May said, looking at him with unmasked desperation. "Please be my friend again. Please. . ."

For a second, he looked like he was going to give into her pleas. Then he looked away from her and directed her towards the entrance.

And May wilted even a little bit more.

He tucked her into bed, clubbing clothes included, sans shoes. Then gave her some ibuprofen for the pain in her knees and her aching head. He stared down at her for a moment, and then he reached out and touched the corner of her mouth.

"You have some lipstick there," he whispered, rubbing away the berry colored pigment from the corner of her mouth.

She looked at him with sleepy eyes and took his hand. "Please Phil. . ."

"Get some sleep," Coulson said, shutting the light out and leaving her alone in the dark room.

She groaned and turned on her stomach, burying her face in her pillow to muffle her scream of frustration.

**.**

He came in from saying his goodbyes to Audrey; there was sort of a sad, far-off look in his eyes.

She wanted to go to him and offer some sort of comfort, but she knew that it wouldn't be accepted especially from her. So, she sent Skye and Simmons to check on him, listening from behind the door as he assured the two younger girls that he was going to be okay. When they left, she snuck in and looked at him.

"Phil. . ." She said, trailing off and looking at him.

"I already told Skye and Simmons that I was fine," Coulson said, not looking at her. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

May hesitated for a second before deciding not to listen to him and walking further into his office. She stopped in front of him and put her hand on his cheek. "You're not okay though, I can always tell when something's bothering you. Please don't shut me. Please Phil. . . I just want to help." 

Coulson released a breath and took her hand off his cheek but didn't let it go. His carefully guarded exterior was smashed, and it was just the two of them like it had been before everything had gone wrong between them. "Thank you," he said.

"You might see her again," May told him, even though it killed her to say it. 

"No," Coulson answered. "No, we both agreed that it would be for the best if we didn't have any contact with each other after today."

"Oh. . ." May was at a loss of what to say next. "I'm sorry. . ."

Coulson looked up at her and gave her a sad sort of smile. That's when she noticed the lipstick, in a muted shade of nude, just in the corner of her mouth. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and gently wiped it away with her pinky.

May hesitated for a second before deciding not to listen to him and walking further into his office. She stopped in front of him and put her hand on his cheek. "You're not okay though, I can always tell when something's bothering you. Please don't shut me. Please Phil. . . I just want to help."

Coulson released a breath and took her hand off his cheek but didn't let it go. His carefully guarded exterior was smashed, and it was just the two of them like it had been before everything had gone wrong between them. "Thank you," he said.

"You might see her again," May told him, even though it killed her to say it. 

"No," Coulson answered. "No, we both agreed that it would be for the best if we didn't have any contact with each other after today." 

"Oh. . ." May was at a loss of what to say next. "I'm sorry. . ."

Coulson looked up at her and gave her a sad sort of smile. That's when she noticed the lipstick, in a muted shade of nude, just in the corner of her mouth. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and gently wiped it away with her free fingers, not making a show of it.

She pulled away like she had been burned. "You had some lipstick. . . right there." 

"Oh. . ." Coulson said. "Thank you."

"You're sure you're okay?" May asked, her heart beating a million miles a minute.

Just give me some time; I'm sure I'll be fine sooner or later."

"Okay." 

She moved to go, to leave him alone with his thoughts. But he stopped her, gripping onto her hand in ways he hadn't ever done before.

"Please stay," he said quietly. "Just for a little while longer."

And since it was what May had wanted him to say ever since he had renounced her friendship, she did.

Eventually, they found their footing again. Their friendship was reborn, fragile and tender like the flowers that bloomed in early spring. It needed a tender sort of care and cultivation, his trust in her was still being rebuilt. But May was certain good things were in store for them, she was certain that with a little time and effort everything was going to return to normal eventually.

It didn't matter that she still loved him more than anything, that she would follow him to the grave just like Garrett had suggested. She was able to put all that aside though, because to have him in her life as a friend was better than nothing.

**.**

They went out for dinner, just the two of them. She felt a little shy around him, hesitant. They hadn't spent much time alone together during the restoration of their friendship. Skye, Simmons, and Fitz had been there with them, unknowing mediators. 

Much to her relief, it wasn't awkward after their first glass of wine. They fell into an easy flow of conversation, just like old times and all of her shyness disappeared in the blink of the eye.

When they were finished with dinner, he asked her to dance. She agreed, allowing herself a shiver of pleasure when he took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor. They joined the other couples, pressed up close against each other and so obviously in love with one another, and started a slow dance of their own.

"We haven't danced together in a while," Coulson said.

"I know," May answered. "I think the last time we danced was at a Tony Stark party, pre-Iron Man."

"Wow! Has it really been that long?" Coulson asked, looking a little surprised. He smiled down at her. "I almost forgot how well you fit in my arms, Melinda."

"I never did," May confessed. "It's one of the things that I can't ever seem to get out of my head."

He looked at her and traced a finger down the corner of her mouth. "You have a little bit of lipstick right there." 

May closed her eyes against his touch, barely containing her smile when his fingers were replaced with his lips. 

Public displays of affection weren't normal for either of them, so it only lasted a few seconds. But when he pulled away, there wasn't any mistaking the look in his eyes.

And she knew everything had changed between them again.

**_End_**

**Author's Note:**

**There's my newest attempt at Phi Coulson/Melinda May. I know it was a little bit all over the place, but my muse was a little bit all over the place this week. I hope you enjoyed this attempt, please leave a review below if you did. **

**Thanks!**

**Love,**

**Holly, 4/19/2014_**


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